Licensing Exam Changes in 2026 — What Candidates Need to Know

Arizona — salesperson exam split into two parts (Jan 1, 2026)

Effective January 1, 2026, the Arizona salesperson exam is two separately scored exams administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the Arizona Department of Real Estate (ADRE):

• General (national) exam: 80 scored questions + 5 unscored pretest · 150 minutes · 75% to pass.
• State exam: 60 scored questions + 5 unscored pretest · 90 minutes · 75% to pass.
• Passing is scored independently — if you fail one part you only retake that part.
• Same-day back-to-back booking is available at a combined price.

Source: Pearson VUE Arizona candidate handbook · ADRE ↗

Texas — new state-law content outline (Jan 1, 2026)

The Texas state-law portion of the sales agent exam uses a new Pearson VUE content outline effective January 1, 2026, organized into 6 content areas with 40 scored items (plus 10 unscored pretest items). Expect heavier weighting on agency, TREC rules and contract forms.

Texas SB 1968 also took effect January 1, 2026: a license holder must have a written agreement with a residential buyer before showing property (or before presenting an offer if no property is shown). The TREC fee schedule was updated December 15, 2025.

Source: Texas Real Estate Commission ↗ · Pearson VUE Texas content outline ↗

New York — buyer representation agreement questions

The 2026 New York salesperson exam blueprint allocates a larger share of agency and contract questions to exclusive buyer representation agreements — required disclosures, timing, compensation terms and the fiduciary duties that activate on signing. Questions are scenario-based fact patterns rather than definitions.

Source: NY Department of State licensing materials and 2026 exam-prep blueprints reviewed 2026-08-20.

NAR settlement practice changes — now tested in all 50 states

The practice changes from the NAR settlement (effective August 17, 2024) bind MLS participants — they are a settlement, not a federal law — and state exam outlines updated for 2025–2026 now test them nationwide:

• MLS participants must have a signed written buyer agreement before touring a home with a buyer — a live virtual tour counts as touring.
• Compensation must be specific and objectively ascertainable (e.g. "2% of purchase price").
• Buyer agreements must include a conspicuous statement that compensation is negotiable and not set by law.
• A broker may not receive more compensation than the amount agreed in the buyer agreement.
• Compensation offers can no longer be displayed on the MLS; they can still be negotiated off-MLS.
• Agents may not steer buyers toward or away from listings based on compensation.

Credentia is the largest nurse aide testing vendor

Credentia administers the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) in more states than any other vendor, making it the largest CNA exam provider in the country. It took over the role Pearson VUE previously played in many states. The NNAAP has two parts: a written/oral knowledge exam (60 scored + 10 pretest items) and a 5-skill clinical evaluation.

Source: Credentia — NNAAP ↗

Headmaster runs the Texas CNA exam

Headmaster (D&S Diversified, hdmaster.com) is the contracted testing vendor for the Texas nurse aide competency exam, per the Texas Health and Human Services registry data retrieved 2026-08-20. The Texas exam has a written/oral knowledge section plus a clinical skills demonstration.

Source: Headmaster / D&S Diversified ↗ · Texas Health and Human Services registry

Is the 2026 real estate exam harder than before?

In most states the exam is not longer and passing scores have not changed, but the question style is shifting from definition recall to scenario-based fact patterns — especially around buyer representation agreements. Candidates who only memorize definitions struggle more than candidates who practice applying rules to situations.

Did the NAR settlement change the real estate exam?

Yes, indirectly. The settlement practice changes (effective August 17, 2024) bind MLS participants — they are a settlement, not a federal law — but state exam content outlines updated for 2025–2026 now test them in all 50 states: written buyer agreements before touring, specific and objectively ascertainable compensation terms, a conspicuous negotiability disclosure, a compensation cap, and no compensation offers on the MLS.

When does the Arizona real estate exam change?

Effective January 1, 2026, the Arizona salesperson exam splits into two separately scored exams: a General (national) exam with 80 scored questions in 150 minutes and a State exam with 60 scored questions in 90 minutes. Each part has 5 unscored pretest items and requires a 75% score to pass. Both are administered by Pearson VUE.

What changed on the Texas real estate exam for 2026?

Effective January 1, 2026, the Texas state-law portion uses a new Pearson VUE content outline organized into 6 content areas with 40 scored items (plus 10 pretest). Texas SB 1968 also took effect January 1, 2026, requiring a written agreement with a residential buyer before showing property. The TREC fee schedule was updated December 15, 2025.

Which company runs the CNA exam in most states?

Credentia is the largest nurse aide testing vendor — it administers the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) in more states than any other vendor. Headmaster (D&S Diversified) is the contracted vendor for the Texas nurse aide competency exam per the Texas Health and Human Services registry data.